Weekly news roundup: Mahindra XUV300 W6 AMT launched, MG Hector bookings, Maruti price cut

With the onset of the festive season, car manufacturers in the country are gearing up to introduce new products for the Indian market. A couple of new cars will be introduced in India next week, which includes the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso, Skoda Kodiaq Scout and the Hyundai Elantra facelift. We also drove the upcoming CVT variants of the Datsun GO and GO Plus this week. And if you missed out on our stories, here’s a quick round-up of the past week:- 

Mahindra XUV300 AMT W6 launched in India

Back in July, Mahindra had introduced AMT options for the XUV300 in diesel W8 and W8 (O) variants. This time around, the Indian utility car manufacturer has introduced an AMT gearbox in the lower spec W6 variant for a price of Rs 9.99 lakh. This new ‘Autoshift’ trim will retain features and equipment from the existing W6 trim of the manual models of the XUV300.

BMW Ld DPE Signature first drive review

The BMW 7 Series facelift was launched in India two months ago. The extravagantly long bonnet flows on to the rear and reveals a smooth silhouette, sharp creases and a strong shoulder-line. Loaded with all the modern creaturely comforts, the new 7 Series is also an impressive performer. The premium sedan is powered by a 3.0-litre inline-six diesel engine that produces 262bhp and 620Nm of torque. 

MG Hector bookings reopen on 1 October

Barely a month after the Hector was launched, MG Motor announced that they had received a whopping 21,000 bookings and temporarily closed bookings for the model to get the production in place. This time around, the company has announced its plans to reopen the bookings for the Hector on 1 October 2019. 

BS-VI emission norms

Since the time the 1 April 2020 deadline for BS-VI update has been announced, there has been uncertainty about what lies in store for current cars owners and the future car purchases. We have decided to clear up the air with a series of stories debunking myths and putting light on the important issues.

Mahindra S204 7-seat SUV spied

Mahindra’s seven-seat version of the XUV300 has been spied for the first time in India. Codenamed S204, the vehicle is scheduled to debut in the European markets in 2022 and we can expect it to be launched in India towards the end of 2020 or by early 2021. Similar to the XUV300, which is based on the SsangYong Tivoli, the Mahindra S204 will be based on the Tivoli XLV.

Maruti Suzuki announces price cuts on selective models

Maruti Suzuki India has announced a price cut in order to pass on the benefits of corporate tax reduction. The company has reduced the ex-showroom price of select models by Rs 5,000. The new prices will be applicable from 25 September 2019 across the country. This reduction of price will be over and above the current promotional offers on the company’s line-up.

Maruti Suzuki S-Presso unveiled

Maruti Suzuki has unveiled the S-Presso on its official website. The site reveals the exteriors and interiors of the latest model from Maruti’s stable. Powering the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso will be a BS-VI compliant 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine producing 67bhp. This motor will be offered with a five-speed manual transmission and an AMT (AGS in Maruti speak) unit.

Tata Altroz launch postponed to 2020

Tata Motors is working on a fleet of BS-VI compliant engines for the Altroz. The company had initially thought of introducing the BS-IV version first and then update it to a BS-VI mill once the new norms come into effect. However, this would have required a lot of inventory management, and hence, the company has decided otherwise.

2019 Hyundai Elantra to get Blue Link technology

The Hyundai Elantra facelift will be getting 34 Hyundai Blue Link features of which 10 features are exclusive to the Indian market. The company claims that the new Elantra will be India’s first fully connected executive premium sedan. The vehicle will get a BS-VI compliant petrol engine at the time of launch.

Datsun commences bookings for the GO and GO+ CVT

Datsun India has begun with the pre-bookings for the Go and Go+ CVT trims at Rs 11,000. The CVT variants will be launched in India next month across two variants- T and T (O). Both the cars are powered by a 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine producing 75bhp/104Nm. We have driven the car and you can read about it here.